1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reader and more particularly to an image reader that is capable of producing a large size, color print based on the image data read, for example, from an image on 35 mm camera film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for reproducing image data through the projection of images of film slides are known. In addition to the direct reproduction of a film slide image on a screen, a television camera can be used to read an image and reproduce the image data on a television.
In the case described above, in which a film slide image is reproduced as a television image, although the image scan is relatively coarse, it is perceived by the human eye as a relatively vivid image. Yet, when an attempt is made to produce a hard copy of the image, the coarseness of the resultant color copy image, caused by the low number of line image sensors and other such image data reader elements, is noticeable to the eye. The coarseness is quite apparent when compared to a photograph.
Further, full color printers used for producing color copies of a color original are capable of producing excellent color copies having a relatively minimal enlargement. However, in using these color copiers, multiple scans of the original are required to adequately copy the cyan, magenta, yellow and black images. Thus, a process is used by which color data is obtained from separate scans for each color by the image reader. The copy paper is introduced into a fixing device and a color copy is produced by fixing the color toner layers on the copy paper.
Additional reproduction devices include printers that are connected to computers which produce color copies from the computer's output. An example of this type of device is the "Ba-sateku" electrostatic printer (trade name). However, a full color printer of this type requires a complex computer equipment configuration, which can be prohibitively expensive.
Clearly, it is very difficult to readily produce a color copy from a chosen image data media, such as camera film negatives, positive film, and color photographs, using the types of prior art devices mentioned above.
Further, because of problems with the number of line image sensors used, the color copy of an image reproduced using a color copy reproduction device is frequently coarse, not yielding as sharp an image as a photograph. Moreover, as the size of a color reproduction increases, the quality of the copy becomes more unsatisfactory.
Further, because of the constraints in enlarging an original when using electronic photograph reproduction devices, such as full color printers, a color enlargement frequently cannot be produced in a required size. In the case of an electrostatic printer connected to a computer, a color copy cannot be made directly from certain originals, such as color film.
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the drawbacks found in the prior art devices described above.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device that is capable of using negative film, positive film, or a color photograph as an original.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device that will easily reproduce a large color copy of a chosen size and allow simultaneous printing of character data created on a microcomputer screen on the color copy.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by mean of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.